A 47-year-old man from Florida, Jason Thomas Russell, is facing serious charges of neglect following the death of his 79-year-old mother, who was discovered in a severely neglected state. Russell, who was his mother’s primary caregiver, lived with her in Spring Hill. He dialed 911 on September 18 after noticing a bleeding wound on his mother’s elbow and being unable to ascertain her level of consciousness. He reported to the emergency dispatcher that his mother’s eyes were open, and she was making snoring and gurgling sounds.
Upon their arrival at the hospital via ambulance, medical personnel noted the elderly woman’s extremely poor physical condition. She was found to have multiple open sores, was covered in human waste, and was infested with maggots, according to police reports.
Before leaving their shared residence for the hospital, Russell reportedly did not communicate with the first responders on the scene. Fire Rescue personnel observed Russell retrieving a bottle of liquor from the garage. He also allegedly prevented them from entering the house to collect his mother’s medications.
The affidavit further states that after his mother was placed in the ambulance, Russell returned to the house and refused to come out, instructing sheriff’s deputies to obtain a search warrant. When he eventually emerged, deputies informed him that they needed to secure the house as a crime scene. Russell reportedly became uncooperative at this point, leading to his arrest for refusing to comply with orders.
When questioned by police about his mother’s deteriorated condition, Russell claimed that she had refused to let him assist her. He was informed by police that his mother was “rotting,” suggesting that her decline had been ongoing for some time. Russell admitted that his mother’s condition had worsened over the past six months and that she had refused to go to the hospital.
The Tampa Free Press reported that Russell’s mother passed away on September 20. Russell was subsequently charged with abuse and neglect of an elderly person and resisting an officer without violence. The State Attorney’s Office is now considering whether to upgrade the charges against him.
Russell is currently being held without bond at the Hernando County Detention Center. His arraignment is scheduled for October 22.